System and method for digital content retrieval

Abstract

Flexibility with respect to access and enjoyment of time shifted content in a content distribution network is provided, especially with regard to content not present on a DVR. A DVR accesses a network storage device over a network for particular portions of content not available on the DVR and the network storage device provides those missing portions. The user may then rewind and playback not only already locally stored content but also that content provided by the storage device. Content can be provided through faster-than-real-time transmissions such that the content is made available to the DVR prior to it being needed for rewind functionality or playback.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A digital video recorder (DVR), comprising:
 an input configured to receive a first portion of video content in real-time from a content source; 
 a memory configured to store the first portion of the video content received from the content source; 
 a catch-up engine coupled to the input and configured to request a second portion of the video content from a server after receipt of the first portion of the video content, wherein the second portion of the video content temporally precedes the first portion of the video content and is presently not stored at the DVR; and 
 an interface configured to receive the second portion of the video content from the server while at least a portion of the first portion of the video content is currently being received and stored at the DVR. 
 
     
     
       2. The DVR of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller configured to prepend the second portion of the video content with the stored first portion of the video content. 
 
     
     
       3. The DVR of  claim 2 , wherein the memory is further configured to store the second portion of the video content received from the server. 
     
     
       4. The DVR of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the video content is received at the DVR at a faster than real-time rate. 
     
     
       5. The DVR of  claim 1 , wherein the catch-up engine is further configured to provide information associated with the configuration of the digital video recorder to the server. 
     
     
       6. The DVR of  claim 1 , wherein the catch-up engine is further configured to provide information associated with the status of the digital video recorder to the server. 
     
     
       7. The DVR of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an analog-to-digital converter coupled to the input and configured to convert the first portion of content received from the content source from an analog format to a digital format. 
 
     
     
       8. The digital video recorder of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a compression engine to compress the first portion of video content received from the content source prior to its storage in the memory. 
 
     
     
       9. The DVR of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of video content is received from the server at a faster than real-time rate. 
     
     
       10. A networked storage device, comprising:
 an input configured to receive video content in real-time from a content source separate from and coupled to the networked storage device; 
 a memory configured to store at least a portion of the video content received from the content source; and 
 an output configured to transmit a first portion of the video content stored in the memory to a digital video recorder (DVR) upon a request for the first portion of the video content received from the DVR, wherein 
 the first portion of the video content temporally precedes a second portion of the video content already present at the DVR, 
 the first portion of the video content is not presently stored at the DVR, and 
 the second portion of the video content is transmitted to the DVR contemporaneously with transmission of the first portion of the video content. 
 
     
     
       11. The networked storage device of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the video content is transmitted to the DVR at a faster than real-time rate. 
     
     
       12. The networked storage device of  claim 11 , wherein the total transmission time of the first portion of the video content is less than the real time playback of the first portion of the video content. 
     
     
       13. The networked storage device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a processor configured to process client status information associated with the digital video recorder, the client status information indicating the amount of memory available at the digital video recorder for storage of the requested one or more portions of the content. 
 
     
     
       14. The networked storage device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a processor configured to process configuration information reflecting at least one capability of the digital video recorder. 
 
     
     
       15. The networked storage device of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a network optimization engine configured to allocate bandwidth between the networked storage device and the digital video recorder requesting the one or more portions of the content stored by the storage device. 
 
     
     
       16. The networked storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the network optimization engine is further configured to cause the one or portions of content transmitted to the digital video recorder to be transmitted at one or more encoded bit rates. 
     
     
       17. The networked storage device of  claim 15 , wherein the network optimization engine is further configured to cause the one or more portions of content transmitted to the digital video recorder to be transmitted in one or more encoding formats.